Mike is a retired stock broker, and now published author of Gold Rush!. In addition, he is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, personal finance and home decor now writing from San Miguel, Mexico.

Entries Tagged as ''

First up Sunday night you will meet one of the world’s most powerful women. Christine Lagarde, the new head of the International Monetary Fund, is among the handful of individuals whose guidance will be critical in the effort to avoid a global recession. Correspondent Lara Logan reports.

As I wrote recently, one of the most widely read posts of Mover Mike is Davy Crockett and Public Money. I bought Michael Wallis’ book to read more stories about David Crockett similar to the one I quoted.Â I’m disappointed that that there weren’t many stories of Crockett’s time in Washington D.C..Â I was looking for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington type stories.Â Crockett was pretty down to earth; hard drinking, chewing, bear hunter with little formal education.Â He had a way of speaking that caused people to hang on his stories.

Financially, he was mostly a basket case, always going into debt and then having to sell most all his assets to pay off creditors.Â He had “itchy feet.”Â He just couldn’t stay rooted to one spot.Â When the game was exhausted, he picked up his family and moved west to build a new farm where the hunting was good.Â Wallis does a good job of the narrative of David Crockett and his weaknesses and dispelling the myths that have grown up around Crockett’s life.

Some things never change.Â Wallis tells us that after the Revolutionary War, people living out on “life’s periphery, especially on the frontier, felt the new American government was mistreating them.” Shay’s Rebellion was an outgrowth and a blowback against the high debts and tax burden as a result of the war.

Geologists have nightmares of a New Madrid quake originating in the Tennessee/Arkansas area.Â From December, 1811 to February 1812, four earthquakes of 7.0 or greater struck the area along with hundreds of aftershocks.Â So intense wwere the quakes that they rang the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. About 1821 Crockett moved to what was now known as “the land of the shakes.”

The ground was scarred by deep fissures and cracks, some extending for miles through canebrakes and woods already thick again with stands of hickory, oak, and gum.Â A focal point of the region was Reelfoot Lake, a large body of water created by the earthquakes and studded with cypress trees, some hundreds of years old.

Scientists continue to monitor the New Madrid area and expect more quakes like those of 1811-1812 anytime.

In 1835 Crockett and some friends rode on horseback to Texas.Â Texas was an almost Eden-like place, yet owned by Mexico.Â The problems of Americans moving to Texas caused immigration problems.Â Part of the problem was the 20,000 settlers brought in 2,000 slaves.Â Mexico was opposed to slavery.

Many of the new arrivals disregarded the laws, refused to pay customs fees, and took part in illegal smuggling activities.Â They provoked great outcry from Mexican newspapers and political leaders…

The book is well written and I recommend it to anyone who is unfamiliar with David Crockett and the post-revoltionary war era in the U.S.

In Grants Pass, Oregon a First Student bus driver was fired because he had a bumper sticker on his pickup that displayed a Confederate Flag and the word “red neck”.Â Â He was parked in a First Student parking lot owned by the school district.Â The driver was told to remove the bumper sticker or park his pickup off the property.Â He refused and was fired.

In Crystal Lake, Illinois a 23 year old waitress was fired allegedly because she wore a yellow Tea Party braceletÂ with the words ‘Don’t Tread on Me’.

Meanwhile, here in Portland, Oregon, Occupy Portland can walk and sleep all over our laws claiming they have the right to free speech and get away with it. Costs mounted, now nearing one-half million dollars for police protection and clean up of the park.

I don’t know Tennessee State Rep. Rick Womack, however he is expressing feelings that are not politically correct in this country. And for that he will be pilloried.

I believe we are at war with Islam.Â I don’t believe it is just rhetoric from Iran’s leaders when they call for the annihilation of the Jews in Israel and all of Americans, little and big Satan.

Rep. Womack has a point when he says we don’t know who is a devout Muslim and who isn’t or even who is being deceptive. We had the same problem in WWII and many Japanese were placed in concentration camps on the west coast.Â They were deprived of their rights and property.Â Is that the future of this country concerning Muslims?

I’ve read many novels about the U.S. in the near future and the U.S, has been Balkanized into regions governed by leaders following Sharia law and Christianity.Â Is that our future?Â How do we make sure that it doesn’t happen? How do we protect the rights of the minority?

One way is to uphold the rule of law.Â Our police and federal officials are supposed to enforce the law.Â What confidence do you have in our elected officials and our police when across the country, we’ve just seen Occupy Wall Street mobs violate our laws, yet given a pass?

We need to discuss the problem rationally and not allow our passions in a time of stress rule the moment.